Click Image for Gallery
Itinerary
Sapporo Snow Festival, Japan 7N/8D
Day 1: Met on arrival to Sapporo Shin-Chitose Airport
Journey to the East begins in Sapporo's Shin-Chitose Airport. You will be met on arrival for flights arriving after 10am. Transfer to your Sapporo hotel. Experience one of the the largest snow festivals in the world where giant snow sculptures line the streets of Sapporo day and night, waiting to wow you with their enormity and street festival feeling.
Please note due to COVID-19 pandemic, the festival may take place in smaller scale than usual.
Hightlight: Enjoy the sparkling splendour that is the Sapporo Snow Festival at night: the giant snow and ice sculptures illuminated. Your tour leader will be ready to take you out on the town!
Accommodation: ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel Sapporo (4*)
Day 2: Experience Sapporo Snow Festival/ Day trip to Otaru
Breakfast at your hotel.
Enjoy a full day's exploration in Sapporo during the much-loved Snow Festival. Over 60 international teams compete to build the most impressive snow and ice sculptures, some of which reach over 15m in height. The city's atmosphere is festive, with hot food stalls and pop-up ice-bars lining the streets to cater to the 2 million visitors (double the city population!) that flock to see this spectacular winter festival.
Make the most of the many options to keep you entertained in Sapporo city (and some of the best seafood & beer in the world) with one more night at your city hotel before leaving the next morning to visit the winter wilderness of Japan's northernmost island.You may also use this time to take a day trip to Otaru, a unique city famous for its glass industry and artisan trades people.
Accommodation: ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel Sapporo (4*)
Day 3: Scenic train journey eastbound to Kushiro
Breakfast at your hotel.
After two nights in Sapporo, we take an express train for four hours east to Kushiro. Kushiro is well known as the 'town of mist', facing the Pacific Ocean. The marine products industry of Kushiro has flourished since the early 20th century. The long and narrow city centred on Kushiro Port still retains many features of the century.
is known as the site of the first successful arificial breeding of Tancho cranes (Red Crowned Cranes), designated as special natural monuments. It is one of the largest east Asian cranes and one of the rarest in the world.
Highlight: Visit “Tsurui village Tancho Crane Sanctuary” for your first experience of the wonderful red-crowned cranes. This sanctuary has large fenced in areas with pairs of birds to encourage breeding and provides a perfect chance to photograph the birds up close.
Accommodation: ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel Kushiro
Day 4: Lake Akan: Sunrise to Sunset, stunning winter scenery
Highlight: Early Morning Sunrise at Setsuri River
Set out early to witness a magical sunrise with hundreds of red-crowned cranes gathered together in the river. Temperatures will be as low as minus twenty degrees celsius on this morning. So wrap up well. A suitable down jacket wuth thermal under garments, hat, gloves etc are essential.
After visiting the cranes in their natural habitat, you will have breakfast break (packed meal) and continue on to your next destination, Lake Akan. After check-in at your lake side ryokan, you can either enjoy visiting indegenous Ainu community next to your hotel, or join one of ice activities on frozen Lake Akan such as snow mobile, four wheel buggy or Ice skiing if you feel active (pay separately).
Enjoy an all-you-can-eat buffet for dinner dinner with all manner of Japanese and western dishes (drinks separate) before experiencing one of the best onsen hot springs baths in all of Japan.
EVENING HIGHLIGHT: Fireworks on frozen Lake Akan
Accommodation: Lake Akan Tsuruga Wings including dinner (Japanese Style)
Day 5: Drive to Lake Mashu, Lake Kussharo
Breakfast at your hotel.
Enjoy the fresh air and natural splendour of this beautiful crater lake.
(Lake Akan is a beautiful crater lake in Akan National Park. It is home to marimo, a rare algae species that forms itself into beautiful green balls. Left alone for a few centuries, Lake Akan's marimo can reach the size of soccar balls. The algae have been designated a National Special Natural Monument.
The presence of this rare algae species that forms itself into beautiful green balls makes Lake Akan a National Special Natural Monument. Bubbling mud pools and a small Ainu village museum also await.)
HIGHLIGHT: Drive to Lake Mashu and Lake Kussharo area
Today you will drive to Lake Mashu and Lake Kussharo area - you will stop off at an elevated viewing spot on Lake Mashu (tea break, pay locally) , which vies for the position of "clearest lake in the world". Then drive to Lake Kussharo to witness whooper swans in a natural onsen hot spring alongside the frozen lake.
EVENING HIGHLIGHT: Traditional 'Ainu' Performance
After onsen, make your way to the local Ainu hall where you can visualise this indigenous culture in an authentic performance featuring traditional dress, language and dance. Accommodation: Lake Akan Tsuruga Wings including dinner (Japanese Style)
Enjoy buffet dinner & hot spring at your hotel.
Day 6: Discover the breathtaking Shiretoko National Park
Breakfast at your hotel.
Today you will explore one of the most remote regions in all of Japan; eastern Hokkaido's Shiretoko Peninsula. Shiretoko National Park is a Unesco World Heritage Site and home to a variety of wildlife, including brown bears, deer, winter red foxed and eagles. You can join either Drift-Ice Walking or Forest Snow Shoeing to really feel winter nature of Shiretoko.
HIGHLIGHT: Drift-Ice Walking / Snow-Shoeing
Enjoy Dinner & Hot Spring at Hotel (included)
Accommodation: Shiretoko Dai-Ichi Hotel including dinner
Day 7: Abashiri
Our last stop on our tour will be Abshire which is home to the Okhotsk Abshire Drift Ice Festival.
HIGHLIGHT: Abshire Area Sightseeing
Lunch at Local Restaurant (pay locally)
Abashiri Prison Museum
Abashiri Drift Ice Cruise
Accommodation: Hokuten no Hoshi Abashiri Tsuruga
Day 8: Tour Ends at Abashiri
Breakfast at your hotel.
Your tour ends at Memambetsu Airport (transfer included). From here you can fly back to Tokyo or Osaka so depending on your onward journey plans, we can help you make some post-tour arrangements. Just ask one of our Japan travel experts. We can arrange internal flights (priced separately).
Inclusions :
Accommodation
- 4* Sapporo Nikko Hotel x 2 nights
- 4* Kushiro Crowne Plaza Hotel x 1 night
- 4* New Akan Hotel at Lake Akan x 2 nights [Japanese Style]
- 4* Shiretoko Dai Ichi Hotel x 1 night
- 3* Abashiri Dormy Inn x 1 night
Guide
- Tour Leaders & Local Assistants/Guide:
- Tour has 1-6 people: Semi-Escorted style using local English/Japanese speaking assistants at all lcoations
- Tour has 6+ people: Fully Escorted by a Japanese/English speaking tour leader
- You will be notified of the travel style 2-4 weeks prior to the departure date when you recieve your travel pack. Be assured that both travel styles ensure you get the most out of your time in Japan.
Meals
- Breakfast daily, 2 lunches & 3 evening meals are included.
Additional Services
- Entrance fees: Included for all stops listed on the itinerary
- Comprehensive Travel Pack
- Local Emergency Contact
- All Taxes & Accommodation Surcharges
- Fixed Price Policy
- No hidden Costs!!
Transport
- Arrival Airport Transfer using local bus & taxi's (met by local person)
- Sapporo City Sightseeing using local taxi's, hired vehicle or small coach (depending on group size)
- Express Train Reserved Seats from Sapporo to Kushiro
- Kushiro - Lake Akan using local taxi's, hired vehicle or small coach (depending on group size)
- Lake Akan - Shiretoko using local taxi's, hired vehicle or small coach (depending on group size)
- Shiretoko - Abashiri using local taxi's, hired vehicle or small coach (depending on group size)
- Departing Airport Transfer using local bus & taxi's (met by local person)
Exclusions :
- GST extra
- Personal expenses (mini bar, Telephone, laundry etc.)
- Optional tour, extra food and beverage
- VOA, Airport tax, Visa Fees not mentioned in inclusions is excluded
- Guide Tipping
- Travel Insurance
- Any meals not mentioned in Inclusions
- Early check-in and Late check-out charges are not included in the above cost. Standard Check-in time : 1500 hrs. / Standard Check-out time: 1200 hrs.
- Costs does not include any type of Surcharges if any and will be charged if applicable. High Season / Special Events will be applicable if booked during surcharge period
- Room upgrades and freebies from the hotel.
- Anything which is not there in Inclusions
Hotel Details -
3 Star Category -
4 Star Category -
5 Star Category -
About the tour :
Start in Sapporo and end in Abashiri! With the In-depth Cultural tour Journey to the East, featuring Sapporo Snow Festival, you have a 8 days tour package taking you through Sapporo, Japan and 4 other destinations in Japan. Journey to the East, featuring Sapporo Snow Festival includes accommodation in a hotel as well as flights, an expert guide, insurance, meals, transport and more.
Payment Policy :
- Booking amount required 100% amount of Flight Tickets & 50% amount of Land Package
- Rest 50% payment should be done before 20 days of your departure
Cancellation Policy :
- Cancellation charge of 25% of total amount on package ( except Flight )per person is applicable any time after the booking is confirmed.
- No refund, if cancellation is received less than 10 days before arrival.
- 50% of the total package amount is applicable, if cancellation is received between 11 - 20 days before arrival.
- 25% of the total package amount is applicable, if cancellation is received between 21 - 30 days before arrival.
- During COVID or any other pandemic situation the cancellation charges will be on sole discretion of the management and it will be decided on case to case basis.
- In case of unforeseen weather conditions or government restrictions, certain activities may be cancelled and in such cases the
- operator will try his best to provide an alternate feasible activity. However no refund will be provided for the same.
- Cancellation Policy for Air Ticket depends on the Airlines policy
Terms & Conditions :
- Kindly note hotels are not equipped to provide Indian items in their breakfast and they would try the same.
- In case any guest requires Indian Items during the breakfast there would be additional charges applicable.
- Strictly NO Refund for any un-utilized services once booking is confirmed.
- The above quote is strictly subject to availability of rooms at the time of booking.
- The quote is strictly applicable as mentioned above and changes will attract a deviation in the costs.
- This is only a quotation. We are not blocked/booked/holding any rooms/ restaurants and will be subject to availability at the time of booking, so rate can not be guaranteed with a late confirmation.
- In case there is an increase or decrease in the number of pax there would be a change in the costs.
- Remittance charges of USD 30 would be applicable per transaction.
- ROE would be charged as per the prevailing ROE on the day of making payments.
- Supplement cost will require for arrival/departure transfer between 2200 hrs. - 0700 hrs.(Odd Hours of the Day)
- We strongly recommend to all our travellers to purchase the Overseas Travel Insurance Policy on their own before travel.
- This would help and protect from incurring any loss of personal belongings or in case of any personal illness on tour or any kind of accident.
- In case the Group is travelling with more than normal luggage then additional charges will apply for extra Van
- All water activities , adventure activities are subject to weather conditions
- Meal plan: EP - Accommodation only, CP - Accommodation with breakfast, MAP - Accommodation with breakfast, lunch or dinner, AP -
- Accommodation with breakfast, lunch & dinner
- GST of 5.00 % will be charged on the Total Invoice, if you make the payment in India.
- Its mandatory that we should receive guest’s Pan Card & Passport Copy for further booking process.
- The travel company reserves the right to change/modify or terminate the offer anytime at its own discretion and without any prior notice.
Seasons -
Rainy - usually is accompanied by heavy rain but will normally have rough seas. This season can vary from year to year. Begins in June and runs as late as October
Winter - November to February
Hot - March to June
Currency –
Thai baht
Language –
English / Thai.
Things to carry :
- Flight tickets , Valid Passport ( At Least 6 months validity on last day of tour) , Visa , Photos , Travel Insurance Documents , Double vaccination certificate etc.
- Currency of country you are travelling to
- Required Medicines with Doctor's Prescription
- Few Skin Care Products like sunscreen, moisturizer, lip balm
- Goggles , Umbrella , swimsuit , thermals or woolens as per requirement of location
- Good quality foot wear (Shoes , flip flop , beach slippers etc.) as per requirement of location
- International calling SIM Card
- Travel Adapter for charging your electronic gadgets, Power Bank
- Small First Aid Kit (No Scissors, blades or sharp objects allowed in flight )
- Extra Pairs of Inner Wear and Empty Travelling Bags
- Few Packed Indian Snacks, Pickles , Chutney etc.